The use of mobile radio communication systems through which to communicate is pervasive throughout modern society. Cellular, and cellular-like, communication systems, for example, and the networks associated therewith are installed throughout large portions of the populated parts of the world. Such systems are widely utilized, not only for telephonic communications, but also, increasingly, pursuant to data communication services, such as multimedia services.
A user of a cellular, or cellular-like, communication system generally effectuates communications through use of a mobile station. A mobile station is a radio transceiver, and, the radio transceiver includes transceiver circuitry, i.e., a receive part and transmit part, to provide for two-way communication with network infrastructure in whose coverage area that the mobile station is positioned. The network infrastructure of the cellular, or other mobile radio, communication system, i.e., the radio access network, is, in turn, connected to a core network. And, the core network, comprises, or is coupled to, a data network, PSTN (Public-Switched Telephonic Network), or other network to which communication endpoints are connected.
Some cellular, and cellular-like communication systems provide for Push-to-Talk communications, referred to as PoC (Push-to-Talk over Cellular) systems. PoC-capable systems, and mobile stations operable in such systems, provide for various communication advantages including reduced communication delays between PoC-capable communication stations.
Push-to-Talk operation is created, e.g., through the maintenance of a connection between communication stations that form the communication devices operable pursuant to a PoC communication session. While use of PoC systems by which to communicate voice data is widespread, increasingly, attention is directed towards the use of a PoC system by which to communicate generic media. Proposals are under consideration by the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) pursuant to drafting sessions that pertain to various aspects of PoC communications.
Proposals have been set forth, for instance, that pertain to a PoC box function. A PoC box forms, for instance, a server at a network that receives and stores media bursts transmitted to the network by a PoC client, i.e., a Push-to-Talk over Cellular, PoC, terminal. The media bursts are transmitted using a session-based media transfer protocol, such as RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol) used by a PoC service. The PoC box receives such transmitted media bursts in a similar way to a PoC client. A media burst is formed of, or otherwise includes, speech, audio, video, pictures, other media content, or any various combinations of such media types.
To date, however, a manner has not been set forth that defines mechanisms or procedures by which to control the PoC box. No manner, for instance, to date, has been provided to define in what manner to delete a stored message, or to receive, or provide, notification of a stored message.
Existing proposals relating to a PoC box functionality generally do not provide procedures in half-duplex, Push-to-Talk communications that readily allow for a requestor to enable another party to deliver media upon the request of an initiator. Also, in delivering a media burst to a terminal using RTP protocol, use of radio resources is relatively inefficient. Once the message is stored, real-time delivery is no longer required, and the additional overhead associated with the RTP protocol is not required. Additionally, the media bursts cannot be delivered when the user does not have access to an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) or another SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)-based IP network or the PoC service that is one of the main scenarios when media bursts are likely to be stored in a PoC box.
In short, many procedures, mechanisms, and protocols associated with a PoC box functionality remain to be defined.
It is in light of this background information related to PoC communication systems that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.